


TENNESSEE ...... ^^^^^-^t,. 

General School Laws 



ENACTED BY THE 



Fifty-Eighth General Assembly 
19 13 



r 

1. AN ACT authorizing County Boards of 
Education^^ponsolidate schools, provide 
transportaSon, and to employ Supervisors. 

2, Compulsory School Attendance Law^. 

3, Amendment to General Education Bill 
increasing State School Fund from 25 to 
334 per cent of gross revenues of State. 

4. Uniform Examination and Certification 
of Teachers. 



. J. W. BRISTER, 

STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, 
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. 






GENERAL SCHOOL LAWS OF TENNESSEE. 



Acts 1913. Chapter 4. 

AN ACT to be entitled An Act to improve the public school system of 
the State by authorizing Boards of Education to consolidate schools, 
provide for the public transportation of pupils, and to employ 
Supervisors. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of of°schoofs'''°" 
the State of Tennessee, That whenever it shall appear to the authorized. 
Coun^ty Board of Education or the County High School 
Board of Education in any county of the State that the effi- 
ciency of the public schools would be improved thereby, said 
Boards of Education shall have full power and are hereby 
granted authority to consolidate two or more schools. 

Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, That whenever by rea- Transportation 

-'of pupils 

son of such consolidation a sufficient number of children authorized. 
is situated too far away from such schools to attend without 
transportation, said Boards of Education are hereby au- 
thorized and empowered to make provision for the transpor- . 
tation of said pupils that reside too far away from said 
school to attend without transportation, and to pay for same 
out of the respective public school funds of the county in 
which such children reside. 

Sec. 3. Be it further enacted. That said Boards of supervisors 

•' _ _ ^ authonzed. 

Education are hereby given authority to employ Supervisors 
of Schools, whose duties shall be to assist County Superin- 
tendents of Public Instruction in. organization, gradation 
and supervision of the public schools of the county and the 
organization of industrial work; and to pay for same out 
of the respective school funds of the county. Provided, That 
such supervisors of schools shall be persons of known ability 
to supervise the work of other teachers and shall have the 
equivalent of a high school education. 

Provided, further, That Supervisors of Elementary Qualifications 
Schools shall hold an elementary certificate of the First 
Grade, and Supervisors of High Schools shall hold a High 
School Certificate of the First Grade. 

Sec. 4. Be it further enacted. That all laws or parts 
of laws in conflict with this Act be, and the same are, hereby 
repealed, and that this Act take effect from and after its 
passage, the public welfare requiring it. 



GENERAL SCHOOL LAWS OF TENNESSEE 



Attendance 
required in 
counties. 



Cities. 



Exemptions. 



Acts 1913. Chapter 9. 

AN ACT to regulate and require the attendance of school children upon 
schools in the State of Tennessee, and to provide means for the 
enforcement of this Act. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the 
State of Tennessee, That every parent, guardian or other 
person, in the State of Tennessee, having charge or control 
of any child between the ages of eight and fourteen years, 
inclusive, shall cause such child to be enrolled in and attend 
some day school, public, private or parochial, for eighty 
consecutive days, or when the school term is less than eighty 
days in length for the full term, in each year in the county 
or city in which said child may reside. 

Provided, That in cities maintaining a separate school 
system which have a scholastic population of five thousand 
or over by the State school census of 1912, or any sub- 
sequent State school census, any parent, guardian or other 
person, having charge or control of any child between the 
ages of eight and fourteen, inclusive, shall cause such child 
to attend school for the full school term. 

Provided, further. That any parent, guardian or other 
person, having charge or control of any child between the 
ages of fourteen and sixteen years who is not actively and 
regularly and lawfully engaged in some useful employment 
or service, or who is unable to read and write, shall cause 
such child to attend school as herein provided for children 
between the ages of eight and fourteen years. 

Sec. 2. Be_, it further enacted, That any child between 
the ages aforesaid may be excused temporarily from comply- 
ing with the provisions of this Act, in whole or in part, if it 
be shown to a court of competent jurisdiction or a County 
or City Board of Education having control of the school to 
which said child belongs, that said parent or guardian or 
person having charge or control of said child is not able, 
through extreme destitution, to provide proper clothing for 
said child; or that said child is mentally or physically 
incapacitated to attend school for the whole period required 



ENACTED BY THE 58TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY, 

or any part thereof; or that the school to which the said 
child belongs is more than two miles by the nearest traveled 
road from the residence of the child, and public transporta- 
tation to and from school is not provided ; or that said child 
has completed an elementary school course, including eight 
grades, and has certificate to that effect from the principal of 
the school attended. If any child is unable to attend school 
as hereinbefore required by not being able to procure books, 
on satisfactory proof of the same, the County or City Board 
of Education having charge of the school to which said 
child belongs, shall purchase said books out of the general 
school fund of the city or county and lend to said child under 
regulations prescribed by the State Board of Education. 

If it is ascertained by any City or County Board of fndSeS^^^'"' 
Education that any child, who is required under the pro- ^^^^^^^ 
vision of this Act to attend a school under the control of 
the said County or City Board of Education, is unable to 
do so on account of lack of clothing or food, such case shall 
be reported to any suitable relief agency of said county or 
city, or if there be no such suitable relief agency to whom 
the case can be referred, it shall be reported to the proper 
Commissioners of the Poor or other officials having change 
of such work, for investigation and relief. 

Sec. 3.. Be it further enacted, That any parent, guardian Evasion. ^""^ 
or other person, having charge or control of any child 
embraced within the provisions of this Act who, with intent 
to evade the provisions of this Act, shall make a false state- 
ment concerning the age of such child, or the time that such 

child has attended school, shall be deemed guilty of mis- 
demeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined in any 
case not less than Two Dollars or more than Fifty Dollars, 
at the discretion of the Court. 

Any parent, guardian or other person, failing to comply faluire to""^ 
with the provisions of this Act, shall be deemed guilty of *=°™py- 
misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall pay a fine 
of not less than Two Dollars nor more than Twenty Dollars 
for the first offense, and not less than Five Dollars nor 
more than Fifty Dollars for the second and every sub- 
sequent offense, and the cost of the suit. 



GENERAL SCHOOL LAWS OF TENNESSEE 



Remission 
officers. 



Jurisdiction. 



Fines to go to 
school fund. 



Duty of 

superintendents 



Provided, That such fine may be suspended and finally 
remitted by the Court trying the case with or without 
payment of cost at the discretion of the Court, if the said 
child be immediately placed in regular attendance in some 
day school as aforesaid, and if such fact of regular attend- 
ance is proven subsequently to the satisfaction of said Court 
by an attested certificate of attendance by the super- 
intendent -or teacher of said school. 

Any parent, guardian or other person having charge or 
control of any child embraced within the provisions of this 
Act, who shall be proceeded against under this Act, may 
prove in defense that he is unable to compel the child under 
his control to attend school, and he may thereupon be dis- 
charged from liability, and such child shall be proceeded 
against as a delinquent child under the statutes in such 
cases provided. 

Sec. 4. Be it further enacted, That the County Judge 
or Chairman of the County Courts of the several counties 
of^this State shall have original and exclusive jurisdiction 
of all cases coming within the provisions of this act. 

Provided, That in all cities maintaining a separate system 
of schools the City Recorder or Judge of said City shall be 
vested with all rights and powers to try and dispose of such 
cases coming with his jurisdiction. Provided, further, that 
any party aggrieved may appeal to the Circuit Court from 
the action of the County Judge. 

Sec. 5. Be it further enacted. That all fines and pen- 
alties provided in this Act shall be for the use of the public 
schools of the county or city in which such child resides. 
Any such fine or penalty may be recovered by rule or in 
any way that a court of equity enforces its orders or decrees. 

Sec. 6. Be it further enacted. That it shall be the duty 
of the County or City Superintendent to furnish to teachers, 
or in schools having more than one teacher to principals, 
or cause to be furnished through any duly elected attend- 
ance ofificer, as hereinafter provided, the names of pupils 
depending on their schools for instruction, the said lists to 
be taken from the census enumeration on file in the office 



ENACTED BY THE 58TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 

of the Superintendent. It shall be the duty of said teachers 
and principals to report promptly and regularly to the 
County or City Board of Education through the County or 
City Superintendent of Schools, the names of all parents, 
guardians or other persons, who fail to comply with the 
provisions of this Act. 

It shall then be the duty of the Board of Education, through Duty of Board 

. , , , , of Education. 

the County or City Supermtendent or through any duly 
elected attendance officer, to give written notice to parent, 
guardian or other person, having charge and control of such 
child that the attendance of such child at school is required ; 
and if said parent, guardian or other person, does not 
comply immediately with the provisions of this Act, said 
County or City Superintendent of Schools, or said duly 
elected attendance officer shall proceed against such child 
as a delinquent child and against such parent, guardian 
or other person, for violation of this act. 

Sec. 7. Be it further enacted, That in every city main- Attendance 
taining a separate school system having a scholastic popula- 
tion^ of 5,000 or more by the State school census of 1912, 
or any subsequent State school census, the Board of Educa- 
tion of said city shall elect one or more attendance officers 
to enforce the provisions of this Act. 

In every city maintaining a separate system having a 
scholastic population of less than 5,000 by the State school 
census of 1912 or any subsequent State school census, and 
in every county, the Board of Education of said city or 
county shall have authority to elect one or m.ore attendance 
officers to enforce the provisions of this Act; provided, 
that not more than one attendance officer shall be elected 
for every 5,000 school children residing in any cityor county ; 
provided, further, that every city having a separate system 
of schools and every county may appoint one such attend- 
ance officer. 

Such attendance officers shall be residents of the county Qualification 

1-11 1 ^T^i If 1 °^ attendance 

or city m which they are elected. They must be 01 good officers. 
moral character and must be able to read and write with 
ease. Before they shall be eligible for election all applicants 
for position as attendance officer shall present certificate 



GENERAL SCHOOL LAWS OF TENNESSEE 

from City or County Superintendent that they meet the 
requirements herein provided. Said attendance officer shall 
be paid not less than $1.00 nor more than $3.00 per day 
during such period of time as they may be employed by the 
School Board, and said payment shall be made out of the 
public school funds of said city or county. Said attendance 
officers shall serve written or printed notices upon the 
parents or guardian, or other person having charge and 
control of any child as aforesaid who violates the provisions 
of this Act, and shall, when reasonable doubt exists as to 
the age of any child, require a properly attested birth 
certificate; and shall have the right to visit and enter any 
office or factory or business house employing children as 
aforesaid, and the right to require a properly attested 
certificate of attendance of any child at a day school, and 
power to arrest, without warrant, all truants as aforesaid 
and place them in some p.ublic school, unless the parent, 
guardian or person having charge or control of said child 
shall at once place them in some other day school as afore- 
said; such attendance officers shall serve the legal notices 
anjl subpoenas of the Court without further fee or compensa- 
tion than that paid by the Board of Education as afore- 
said, and he shall carry into effect such other regulations 
as may lawfully be required by the Board electing him. 

lcho6i7 Sec. 8. Be it further enacted, That the Board of Educa- 

tion having charge of the public schools of any city or 
county having a population of 10,000 or more by the 
Federal Census of 1910, or any subsequent Federal Census, 
may establish a truancy school, either within or without 
their city or .county limits for children who are between the 

-'"'^^ ages of eight and sixteen years, and who are habitual 

truants from any day school in which they are enrolled as 
pupils, or while in attendance at school are incorrigible, 
vicious, or immoral, or who habitually wander or loiter 
about the woods or public places without lawful employ- 
ment and such children may be deemed disorderly juvenile 
persons, and may be, by said School Board, through its 
officers assigned to, and required and compelled to attend 



ENACTED BY THE 58TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 

such truancy school or any department of the graded school, 
as such School Board may direct. 

Sec. 9. Be it further enacted, That all laws or parts of 
laws in conflict with this Act, be and the same are, hereby 
repealed, and that this Act take effect from and after its 
passage, the public welfare requiring it. 

Passed February 18, 1913. 



10 GENERAL SCHOOL LAWS OF TENNESSEE 



Acts 1913. Chapter 23. 

AN ACT to amend Chapter 264 of the Acts of 1909, passed April 20, 
1909, and approved April 27, 1909, by providing for an increase in 
the General Education Fund provided in said Act, and setting 
forth the basis for apportioning certain parts of said fund. 

tioS todtn-^^" Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the 
to'if per""" ^^ 5to/e of Tennessee, That Chapter 264 of the Acts of 1909,. 
revenlefoT passed April 20, 1909, and approved April 27, 1909, e.n- 
^*^^*^^" titled "An Act to provide for the improvement of the sys- 

tem of Public Education of the State of Tennessee — that 
is to say, to establish a General Education Fund by appropri- 
ating thereto annually twenty-five per cent of the gross 
revenues of the State; to provide for the apportionment 
of this fund and specifying what part shall be apportioned 
to the several counties of the State on the basis of scholastic 
population; what part shall be used to equalize more 
nearly the school facilities of the several counties, and the 
conditions on which this part shall be apportioned; what 
sum shall be used to assist in paying salaries of County 
Sui5erintendents, and on what conditions; what part shall 
be used to encourage and assist in the establishment and 
maintenance of public county high schools, and on what 
conditions; and providing for the grading and inspection 
of high schools; what part shall be used for the establish- 
ment and maintenance of school libraries and on what 
conditions; what part shall be used for the establishment 
and maintenance of three Normal Schools for white teachers, 
one in each Grand Division of the State, and one Agri- 
cultural and- Industrial Normal School for negroes and 
providing for the location, establishment, and control of 
said schools; and what part shall be apportioned to the 
University of Tennessee and its various stations ; and to 
repeal Chapter 537 of the Acts of 1907" be, and the same 
is, hereby amended, by striking out the words "twenty-five 
per cent" wherever they occur in said Act and substituting 
in lieu thereof the words "thirty-three and one-third per 
cent." 



ENACTED BY THE 58TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 11 

Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, That Section 3 of said 
Chapter of said Act be amended so as to read as follows: 

That ten per cent of the General Education Fund Purposes of lo 

'^ ' . per cent fund. 

provided by this Act shall be and the same is hereby set 
aside as a special fund to be used and expended for the 
purpose of more nearly equalizing the common schools in 
the several counties of the State; also for the purpose of 
encouraging the introduction of industrial work, including 
agriculture, home economics, manual training and kindred 
subjects in county elementary schools and providing for 
the adequate supervision of the same ; also for encouraging 
the establishment of consolidated schools where practica- 
ble with provisions for transportation facilities where 
necessary; the same to be distributed among the various 
counties by the State Board of Education in accordance 
with provisions herein set forth. 

Provided, That before any county shall be eligible to re- conditions on 
ceive any portion of this 10 per cent of the General Educa- sLare. ^"""^ 
tion Fund provided by this Act, it shall levy for public 
schools, including the school tax levied by the State, and 
excluding taxes for public high schools, a tax of not less than 
40 cents on the $100.00 of taxable property, a tax of $2.00 
on each taxable poll, and all the privilege taxes which the 
laws of the State permit counties to levy for school pur- 
poses. 

Provided further , That in any county where a supervising state aid for 
teacher or a supervisor of any number of elementary schools, 
or a supervisor of industrial work in county elementary 
schools is elected by the County Board of Education and 
funds are provided in said county to pay said supervisor, 
the State Board of Education shall be authorized to 
supplement the same by an amount not exceeding what is 
paid by the County Board of Education; provided, that 
said supervisors shall be approved by the State Super- 
intendent of Public Instruction ; and provided, further, that 
two such payments by the State to one county shall not 
be allowed until one payment is made in every county 
complying with the requirements and making application 



12 



GENERAL SCHOOL LAWS OF TENNESSEE 



State aid for 
consolidation 
and transporta- 
tion. 



Equalizing 
fund. 



State aid for 
industrial work 
in high schools. 



within any one year; the time for applying for State help 
to be fixed by the State Board of Education. 

Provided, further, That when any County Board of 
Education shall establish a consolidated school with as many 
as three or more teachers and provision is made for trans- 
porting the pupils dependent upon such school for educa- 
tional facilities who reside further than two and one-half 
miles therefrom, the State Board of Education may assist 
said school by appropriating to its maintenance a reason- 
able amount out of the funds provided by this Section of 
this Act; provided, the building and equipment of said 
school shall measure up to the standard set by State Board 
of Education; and provided, further, that not more than 
one school in any county shall be thus aided in any one year 
until at least one school in every county making applica- 
tion in that year shall have been aided ; and provided that 
the time for making such application for State aid shall be 
fixed by the State Board of Education. 

Provided, further, That any portion of the ten per cent of 
the General Education Fund provided by this Act and this 
Section of this Act not otherwise disposed of in any year 
shall be used to equalize the Common Schools in the 
various counties, and shall be distributed by the State 
Board of Education among the counties according to their 
educational needs, as determined by reliable data filed in 
the office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. 

Sec. 3. Be it further enacted, That Section 5, of said 
Chapter of said Act be amended by striking out the last 
part of said Section 5 beginning with the words "shall 
revert," and substituting therefor the following words: 
"shall be used under the direction of the State Board of 
Education for the purpose of stimulating and encouraging 
the establishment and maintenance of departments of 
industrial work, including agriculture, home economics, 
manual training and kindred subjects, and also for the 
purpose of equalizing the high schools of the various 
counties; provided, that if in any county levying a tax for 
high school purposes at the highest rate permitted by law 
for that purpose, the proceeds of said levy do not amount 



ENACTED BY THE 58TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 13 

to as much as Two Thousand ($2,000.00) Dollars in any 
year, the State Board of Education shall apportion to the 
high school fund of said County out of the State high school 
fund provided in Section 5, Chapter 264, Acts of 1909, the 
amount necessary to make a high school fund of Two 
Thousand ($2,000.00) Dollars for said County for said 
year." 

Sec. 4. Be it further enacted, That the first, second and Library aid. 
third paragraphs of Section 6 be amended to read as fol- 
lows : 

That one per cent of the General Education Fund 
provided by this Act shall be used to encourage and assist 
in the establishment and maintenance of libraries in the 
public schools as herein provided. 

Whenever the patrons and friends of any public school 
in any county in the State shall raise by private subscrip- 
tion or otherwise, and tender to the County Trustee 
through the County Superintendent of Public Instruction, 
the sum of Ten Dollars or more for the establishment and 
maintenance of a library for that school, or for supplement- 
ing, a library already established, said County Super- 
intendent shall notify the State Superintendent of Public 
Instruction, and upon the certificate of the State Super- 
intendent of Public Instruction the Comptroller of the 
Treasury shall pay to the Trustee of said County out of 
the fund herein provided a sum equal to that raised by pri- 
vate subscription or otherwise to be added to the library 
fund of said school. 

Provided, that the State will appropriate not more than 
Forty Dollars for this purpose to any one school during a 
single year. 

Provided, further, that the State Board of Education shall 
have the power, and the same is hereby authorized to 
employ a Director of Library Extension at a salary of not 
exceeding fifteen hundred dollars a year with necessary 
traveling expenses as fixed by the State Board of Educa- 
tion, all to be paid out of the library fund as herein pro- 
vided. 



14 



GENERAL SCHOOL LAWS OF TENNESSEE 



Director of 
library exten- 
sion. 



Circulating 
libraries. 



The said Director of Library Extension shall have an 
office in the office of the State Superintendent of Public 
Instruction and shall work under his general supervision^ 
It shall be the duty of the Director of Library Extension 
to encourage and stimulate the establishment of libraries, 
especially in public schools; to prepare selected lists of 
books adopted to the needs of various schools from the list 
approved by the State Board of Education ; to render such, 
assistance as the State Board of Education may require in 
the preparation of general school library lists; to visit 
teachers' institutes and other educational and community 
meetings in the interest of library extension and for the 
purpose of giving instruction in the selection, care and use 
of libraries, to assist the State Superintendent of Public 
Instruction in preparing Reading Circle Courses for public 
school teachers and pupils; and to perform such additional 
duties as the State Board of- Education may prescribe. 

That the last paragraph of Section 6 of Chapter 264 of 
the Acts of 1909 be amended so as to read; One-fifth of the 
amount accruing annually for libraries under the provisions 
of this Act shall be used for the purchase and maintenance 
of circulating libraries under the direction of the State 
Library. 

Sec. 5. Be it further enacted, That all laws and parts 
of laws in conflict with this Act be, and the same are, 
hereby repealed, and that this Act take effect from and after 
its passage, the public welfare requiring it. 



ENACTED BY THE 58TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 15 



Acts 1913. Chapter 40. 

AN ACT entitled An Act to define the qualifications and duties of 
Public School Teachers; to provide a uniform method for the 
examination and certification of teachers; to provide for the Issuance 
of teachers' certificates of different grades, and for the revocation 
of certificates; and to fix penalties for the violation of the provisions 
of this Act. 

Section 1. Be it enacted hy the General Assembly of the certificates 
State of Tennessee, That no person shall be employed to '^^^"'''^ • 
teach in any public elementary or high school of the State 
or receive pay for teaching out of the public school funds 
of any county until he has received a certificate as pre- 
scribed in this Act. No such payment shall be allowed 
if made, and any officer who shall make or sanction the 
same shall be subject to a penalty of not less then Five 
($5.00) Dollars nor more than Fifty ($50.00) Dollars, to 
be paid into the public school fund of the county in which 
collected. 

No person under eighteen years of age shall receive a Age. 
certificate to teach in the public schools of this State, and 
no person under twenty years of age shall receive pay out 
of the public school funds as the principal of any school 
having more than one teacher. 

No person shall receive a certificate to teach in the public Qualifications 
schools of this State unless he has a good moral character, 
and under no circumstances shall certificates be granted to 
persons addicted to the use of intoxicants, opiates or 
cigarettes. All persons who appear before the local examin- 
ing committee of any county or the State Board of Exam- 
iners for teachers' certificates, as hereinafter provided, 
must satisfy the local examining committee or the State 
Board of Examiners that they meet the requirements of 
this Act as regards age and moral character before being 
allowed to proceed with the examination; and the local 
examining committee or State Board of Examiners may re- 
quire proof as to age and testimonials as to character. 

No person shall teach in any public school of this State 
who has any contagious or communicable disease in such 
form as that the health of children would be endangered 



of teachers. 



16 



GENERAL SCHOOL LAWS OF TENNESSEE 



Records 
required. 



Contracts 
necessary. 



Institute 
attendance. 



by his presence in the school room with them; and any 
County Board of Education or City Board of Education 
may require a teacher to submit to an examination by a 
competent physician at any time when there is reason to 
believe that the teacher has any disease of this kind; and 
any Board of. Education may require from any teacher 
asking to be employed in any public school under its direct 
control a- certificate of health signed by a. competent 
physician. 

Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, That every teacher in the 
public schools of the State shall keep a daily record of facts 
pertaining to his school in such form as is required by the 
State Superintendent of Public Instruction and as indicated 
in the school register furnished the teacher for that purpose, 
and the teacher shall be responsible for the safe keeping 
and delivery of the same to the County Superintendent 
of Public Instruction at the close of the school term or at the 
close of his services. 

Sec. 3. Be it further enacted, That written contracts 
for the school year shall be made between the County 
Boa'rds of Education and the public school teachers at 
fixed rates per month before they enter upon their duties. 
These contracts shall be in such form as may be furnished 
by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and 
every contract shall be signed in duplicate in ink, each 
party holding a copy. Failure to comply with the pro- 
visions of this section of this Act shall subject either or both 
parties to a fine of Twenty-five Dollars. 

Sec. 4. Be it further enacted, That any principal teacher 
of a public school may, for good and sufficient reasons, 
suspend a pupil from attendance on his school until the case 
is decided by the County Board of Education, which shall 
be with as little delay as possible. 

Provided, that a report of every suspension shall be 
made at once, through the County Superintendent, to the 
County Board of Education. 

Sec. 5. Be it further enacted. That it shall be the duty 
of all teachers in any county of this State to attend the full 



ENACTED BY THE 58TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 17 

term of any county institute held for teachers of his race 
in that county under provisions made by the State and 
County Superintendents of Public Instruction; but, in lieu 
of attendance upon the institute in his county, a teacher 
may attend a similar institute in any other county in the 
State in the same year, or take regular work in a summer 
session of one of the State Normal Schools or any regularly 
organized summer school of good standing. 

Sec. 6. Be it further enacted, That after the first day of state super- 

. , intendent to 

July, 1914, the requirements for certificates to teach m the issue aii 
pubhc schools of this State shall be uniform in all the 
counties. Every certificate shall be issued by the State 
Superintendent of Public Instruction in accordance with 
regulations hereafter prescribed. 

Except as hereinafter provided, every person receiving a Examinations 

. 1 1. I 1 1 r 1 required. 

certificate to teach in the public elementary schools ot the 
State shall have passed a satisfactory examination in the 
subjects prescribed to be taught in the elementary schools 
and in the principles and practice of teaching and school 
management; and every person receiving a certificate to 
teach in the public high schools of the State shall have 
passed a satisfactory examination in the history of secondary 
education, principles and practice of teaching and school 
management, with special reference to high school work, 
English language and literature, and other subjects named 
on the certificate issued to him. 

The standards for examinations and the grade of scholar- 
ship required for certificates shall be determined by the 
State Superintendent of Public Instruction and in accord- 
ance with the provisions of this Act. 

Certificates shall be designated and graded as elementary Grades of 
certificates of the first or second grade or high school 
certificates of the first or second grade. A first grade 
certificate shall be valid for a period of five years from date 
of issue, a second grade certificate for a period of two years. 
Certificates granted on examinations taken in the various 
counties, under the supervision of the local examining 
committee as hereinafter provided, shall be good only in 
the county in which the examinations are taken. Certifi- 



18 



GENERAL SCHOOL LAWS OF TENNESSEE 



First grade. 



Temporary 
certificates. 



Professional 
certificates. 



cates granted on examinations taken at special places, under 
the supervision of the State Board of Examiners, as herein- 
after provided, shall be good in any county in the State. 

To obtain a first grade certificate the applicant must 
be at least nineteen years of age and must have had at least 
eight months successful teaching experience, and must make 
an average of 85 per cent on the subjects prescribed for 
examination and must not fall below 70 per cent on any 
subject. An applicant who makes a first grade average as 
required, but who has not the requisite teaching experience, 
will be granted a second grade certificate which may be 
changed to a first grade certificate after eight months 
successful teaching. 

In case there are not enough teachers with certificates 
applying for the schools in any county, the State Super- 
intendent of Public Instruction may issue a temporary 
certificate to a sufficient number of those persons who stood 
the examination in that county and are most nearly 
qoialified, as shown by any regular examination in which 
they may have participated, which certificate shall be good 
only in said county ; or he may order a special examination 
for that purpose. But no certificate thus issued shall be 
valid longer than the time for the next examination, and 
no such certificate shall be issued to the same person more 
than twice. 

Professional certificates shall be issued by the State 
Superintendent of Public Instruction as follows: 

1. An elementary certificate ^ of the first grade to the 
applicant who has completed the academic course of the 
State Normal Schools. 

2. A certificate good in all schools, except high schools 
of the first class, to the applicant who has completed the 
normal course of the State Normal Schools. 

3. A high school certificate of the first grade to the 
applicant who is a graduate of the State University who has 
completed any six half-year courses offered by the Uni- 
versity in psychology, history of education, principles of 
teaching and school management, not less than two of 
which shall have special reference to high school work. 



ENACTED BY THE 58TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 19 

4, In accordance with such uniform rule and regula- 
tions as may be adopted by the State Board of Education, 
the State Superintehdent of Public Instruction may issue 
certificates without examination to graduates of other 
institutions of learning whose standards of admission and 
requirements for graduation are not lower than those of the 
State Normal Schools and the State University. 

Provided, That said standards and requirements shall 
first have been carefully examined by the said Superin- 
tendent and Board; and, 

Provided, further, That the requirements with which the 
graduates of said institutions are licensed shall not be 
lower than those made for the graduates of the State 
Normal Schools and the State University of this State. 

All certificates granted by the State Superintendent of 
Public Instruction on diplomas or degrees from institu- 
tions of learning shall be good in any county of the State. 

All certificates outstanding at the time this Act takes 
effect shall be valid for the times and purposes for which 
they were issued if not revoked by the State Superintendent 
of Public Instruction. 

The State Superintendent of Public Instruction may Revocation of 
revoke the certificate of any teacher who shall be guilty 
of immoral conduct, upon sufficient evidence of the same 
furnished by the County Superintendent of the county in 
which the holder is teaching. 

The State Superintendent of Public Instruction shall, ^f^^^^^^^' 
with the help of the State Board of Examiners as hereinafter 
provided, prepare and announce courses of study for 
persons holding the elementary certificate of the first grade 
and for persons holding the high school certificate of the 
first grade, such courses- to cover the principal subjects 
named in the certificates; and any such person who com- 
pletes either of these courses and passes the required 
examination upon the subjects contained in it shall be 
granted a permanent certificate of the same class and grade ; 
but permanent certificates shall be revoked if the holders 
shall discontinue school work for more than three successive 
years, and if they fail to attend institutes and do the work 



20 



GENERAL SCHOOL LAWS OF TENNESSEE 



State board of 
examiners." 



Local 
examinations. 



of the Reading Circle, or meet other requirements as 
prescribed by the State Superintendent of PubHc Instruc- 
tion and the State Board of Education. 

Sec. 7. Be it further enacted, That the State Board of 
Education and the State Superintendent of PubHc instruc- 
tion, are hereby constituted a Board of Examiners, of which 
the State Superintendent of Public Instruction shall be 
chairman, for the purpose of preparing questions, conduct- 
ing examinations and otherwise assisting the State Super- 
intendent of Public Instruction and the State Board of 
Education in carrying out the provisions of this Act; and 
they shall, upon the call of the State Superintendent of 
Public Instruction, meet for this purpose at such times and 
places as he may designate. The necessary expenses of the 
Examiners incurred in attending such meetings and in 
performing any other duties required of them by this Act 
shall be paid out of the examination fund to be made up 
of the examination fees as hereinafter provided. The 
Stafte Board of Examiners herein provided, shall have the 
power and authority to secure the assistance of the Normal 
School Presidents, State High School Inspector, Elementary 
School Inspector, and all other employees of said Board 
in conducting said examinations without any extra pay or 
compensation for said services. 

On the recommendation of the Examiners, the State 
Superintendent may employ, at such reasonable wages as 
the Examiners shall fix, competent persons to grade exami- 
nation papers and such other assistants as may be necessary 
to enable him to carry out the provisions of this Act, all 
such wages to be paid out of the examination fund in the 
manner herein provided. 

Examinations shall be held at the county seat of each 
county in some suitable room or rooms, to be designated 
by the local examining committee on dates prescribed by 
the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. The 
County Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Chair- 
man of the County Board of Education and one other 
person, to be selected by the State Superintendent of 
Public Instruction, shall constitute the local examining 



ENACTED BY THE 58TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 21 

committee of each county. For service on examining 
committees County Superintendents shall receive no pay in 
addition to their regular salary; the Chairman of the 
County Board of Education shall receive his per diem and 
expenses as for other services, and the third members shall 
be paid at the same rate; all payments to be made out of 
the school fund of the county as other incidental expenses 
are paid. 

On the same dates examinations shall be held at such state exami- 

nations. 

Other places in the State as may be designated by the State 
Superintendent of Public Instruction, under the supervision 
of the State Board of Examiners, and on such dates as may 
be named by the State Superintendent of Public Instruc- 
tion, No fewer than two places shall be selected in each 
Grand Division, and the questions shall be uniform in all 
examinations. 

In conducting the examination the local examining com- Rules of 

° _ ° _ examination. 

mittee and the State Board of Examiners shall comply with 
the provisions of this Act and the rules and regulations of 
the State Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State 
Board of Education ; and after each examination and upon 
completion of the duties connected therewith, the members 
of the local examining committee and the representatives 
of the State Board of Examiners supervising said examina- 
tion shall make oath or affidavit before a Notary Public 
or other person authorized to administer oath, that they 
have conducted the examination in accordance with said 
law and rules and regulations, and said oath or affidavit 
shall be forwarded at once to the State Superintendent of 
Public Instruction, with the examination papers of all 
applicants. 

Any County Superintendent, member of examining com- Penalty for 

■' -' ^ , giving informa- 

mittee, printer, ofncers of State or county, or any other tion as to 

. examinations. 

person who shall sell, barter, give or furnish or procure to 
be sold, bartered, given or furnished to any applicant for 
a certificate to teach in the public schools, or to any person, 
any question or questions prepared or sent out by the State 
Board of Examiners for the examination of persons applying 
for such certificates, or in any way dispose of such question 



22 GENERAL SCHOOL LAWS OF TENNESSEE 

or questions except in the manner provided by law and the 
regulations of the State Superintendent of Public Instruc- 
tion, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction 
thereof, shall be fined not less than $100.00, and may be 
imprisoned, at the discretion of the Court. 

Fees. Before entering upon the examination, every applicant 

for an elementary school license shall pay to the Trustee 
of the County a fee of Two and One-half ($2.50) Dollars, 
and every applicant for a high school license shall pay a fee 
of Three and One-half ($3.50) Dollars. Provided, That one- 
half of these fees in each county be held in said county for 
the support of the County Institute and the Trustee shall 
give a receipt for the same, which receipt shall be presented 
to the examining committee before the examination is 
begun. The County Trustee shall forward to the State 
Superintendent of Public Instruction a voucher for all 
moneys received in examination fees, less his commission 
of two per cent, and a correct statement showing the amount 
of each fee and the name and postoflfice address of the person 
paying the same. 

^Any applicant for license who presents a diploma or 
certificate or other credential in lieu of examination shall 
pay to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction a fee of 
Two and One-half Dollars; all fees thus received by the 
State Superintendent of Public Instruction shall be de- 
posited as other examination fees with the Comptroller of 
the Treasury. 

Deposit of fees. The State Superintendent of Public Instruction shall 
endorse all such vouchers and deposit them with the 
Comptroller of the Treasury, to be collected and held as a 
special fund', out of which all expenses of the examination 
shall be paid. Vouchers for such expenses shall be drawn 
on this fund in the same manner as vouchers are drawn on 
the school fund for the expenses of the State Board of 
Education, and separate accountings of the same shall be 
made and published by the State Superintendent of Public 
Instruction in his report and by the Comptroller and 
Treasurer in their reports. 



ENACTED BY THE 58TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 23 

Any portion of this examination fund remaining after 
all the expenses of examinations of any year have been 
paid, may, with the consent of the State Board of Education, 
be used by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction 
for awards to encourage teachers, pupils and school officers 
to make improvements in their schools in any way he may 
designate. 

Sec. 8. Be it further enacted, That the provisions of cities included. 
this Act shall apply to all public school teachers in the State 
except those employed by Boards of Education in cities 
having a population of more than 7,500 by the Federal 
census of 1910, or any subsequent Federal census. 

Sec. 9. Be it further enacted, That all fines or penalties 
that may be collected under this Act shall go into the public 
school fund of the county or city in which collected. 

Sec, 10. Be it further enacted. That all laws or parts 
of laws in conflict with this Act be, and the same are, 
hereby repealed, and, except as otherwise provided, this 
Act take effect from and after its passage, the public welfare 
requiring it. 




LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



019 748 488 3 



